Casey, a spaniel-mix that was found laying in a pool of his own blood with a badly cut throat on Thanksgiving 2015 was taken to safety and helped to recover thanks to Alton police, the Madison County Animal Care and Control Department and Horseshoe Lake Animal Hospital veterinarians. Casey is in the care of Partners for Pets. For information on donating or adopting Casey or another animal, go to Partners for Pets’ Facebook page or www.partnersforpetsil.org. less

Casey, a spaniel-mix that was found laying in a pool of his own blood with a badly cut throat on Thanksgiving 2015 was taken to safety and helped to recover thanks to Alton police, the Madison County Animal ... more

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Casey, a spaniel-mix that was found laying in a pool of his own blood with a badly cut throat on Thanksgiving 2015 was taken to safety and helped to recover thanks to Alton police, the Madison County Animal Care and Control Department and Horseshoe Lake Animal Hospital veterinarians. Casey is in the care of Partners for Pets. For information on donating or adopting Casey or another animal, go to Partners for Pets’ Facebook page or www.partnersforpetsil.org. less

Casey, a spaniel-mix that was found laying in a pool of his own blood with a badly cut throat on Thanksgiving 2015 was taken to safety and helped to recover thanks to Alton police, the Madison County Animal ... more

EDWARDSVILLE — A judge Friday sentenced an Alton man to 30 months probation after he pleaded guilty to slitting his dog’s throat and leaving it on the Alton Mississippi River levee to die.

The defendant’s father testified he would see to it that his son would receive treatment for alcoholism.

Associate Judge Neil Schroeder pronounced sentence after Richard M. Krieb, 32, of the 300 block of Spring Street, Alton, pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated cruelty to an animal. He was charged Dec. 31.

Krieb’s father, Ricky Krieb, of Granite City, testified Friday that he, too, is an alcoholic, who has been sober since 2007. The elder Krieb said he is now a drug and alcohol counselor.

He said his son committed a felony predatory criminal sexual assault in 2002, but he, the father, failed to properly handle his son’s rehabilitation. He said he previously enabled his son, instead of holding him responsible, but that will not happen again.

Assistant State’s Attorney Ryan Sweet argued that Krieb left a four-inch-by-eight-inch cut in the dog’s throat. He said even though the dog survived, Krieb committed a cold-blooded act. He said the act meets the statutory aggravating factor of harm to others.

Defense attorney Joe Brown of Edwardsville argued that his client was not out to hurt the dog. He said Krieb slit the dog’s throat because the animal attacked the defendant’s young son.

Sweet argued that Krieb could have taken the dog to a kennel or obtained a soft muzzle. Brown argued that his client attempted to contact a kennel, but the kennels were closed.

Krieb pleaded guilty previously in exchange for a sentence of no more than two years. He has been in the Madison County Jail for seven months.

Brown argued that a more likely sentence would be one year with a day off for each “good day” his client served. He said a one-year sentence would result in Krieb being sent to prison for about two months and that his chances of receiving treatment would be low.

On probation, Krieb would be able to work and pay restitution to Partners for Pets, an organization that took the dog in and is carrying for it. Sweet estimated restitution at $1,000. Prosecutors and the director of the pet organization are discussing the exact cost.

Schroeder agreed that prison would do little good at this point. He ordered Krieb to undergo an evaluation for mental health in general, because he was not convinced that alcohol is the only problem Krieb is dealing with.